My kids caught some fish in a pond that a oldtimer called a polly wad
looked like a catfish to me. I didn't see them in person just a picture, but has anybody heard of polly wad? he said they were not good to eat. When I did a search on the net I got tadpoles.

Hey Mudhog, my Dad always called Mudcats pollywads. Mudcats are slimy bait stealing freshwater Hardheads. They have a rounded tail instead of a "V" shaped catfish tail. Usually dark backed with a yellow rounded belly. I have cooked them but they had a "muddy" taste. Now they just get added to the turtle traps.

thanks you described them to a T they were dark with a yellow/orange belly, didn't see what the tail looked like though but he called them polliewog oh whatever how its spelled, I heard the term before but never really knew what they were.